Writing Goals for the New Year

Is everybody making their art or business goals for 2011?

I have been working on it!

I went back and looked at my goals for 2010. At the end of last year, I had read an article about making goals. It mentioned making really specific goals (with an idea of how to get there) - like not just "making more money", but naming a specific number and saying how you plan to get there (specific marketing plans, etc.). At the end of last year, I was just starting to paint again after a hiatus of more than 10 years. I set a bunch of very specific goals - none of them were outrageous - in general they were pretty conservative, but still some of them involved things a little outside of my comfort zone.

Now that I have had a chance to go back and look, I am very pleased to report that I achieved every single one of them! 2010 was a big year for me.....getting back into making art on a regular basis, setting up shops, websites, blogs, etc on the internet and starting to learn how to promote myself. I am proud of what I have accomplished so far!

For 2011? I am setting goals that are still very specific but a little more aggressive. I am hoping to push myself a bit farther this year. I hope 2011 is a big year of growth for me - both as an artist and as a promoter of my own work. I will share some of my goals in future posts.

Is anyone else making their plans for the new year??

Another new piece....SOLD

Another new ACEO toaday. My goal is to try to finish two more by the end of the week. Think I will make it? Then I have a still life painting on gessobord that I would really like to get back to. In the meanwhile......"Yellow Lily"
Garden Series
2-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches
acrylic on watercolor paper
SOLD

Playing with Toys - SOLD

I've been working on a few new ACEOs - hoping to take some new pieces over to the Art Cafe after the first of the year. Here is one of the new ones - I think I may be spending too much time with the kids' toys!

"Sunday Drive"
2-1/2 x 3-1/2"
acrylic on watercolor paper
SOLD

Happy Holidays!

Okay, I'm a day late...but I hope that everyone had a very Merry Christmas!

Check out this wonderful holiday treasury...these clickable widgets are too cool!!

A Nice Surprise!

I got my entries back from The Renaissance Gallery's 10th Annual Miniature Exhibition and discovered that this little guy won the Villers/Villers/Whitley Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Purchase Award! What a nice surprise - I am so excited!

"Two Sisters"

3 x 3"

acrylic on canvas
SOLD

This same painting was accepted for ArtWanted.com 2011 Calendar. I got my copy of the calendar the other day - unfortunately the printing is a little dark, but you can see my work on April 12th if you happen to get the calendar!

The Evil Nutcracker - SOLD

I think I have been working on too much Christmas stuff! (Or else this guy has had a little too much eggnog.....)

"Evil Nutcracker"
3 x 3 inches
acrylic on canvas

SOLD

Another Poinsettia - SOLD

Here is the larger poinsettia. I am enjoying the working on the texture of the leaves on the super-smooth gessobord. Canvas suddenly seems so, well, textured!

Poinsettia

4 x 4"
acrylic on gessobord

SOLD

More Holiday Art......

I've been doing all sorts of holiday-themed ACEOs....for sale on Etsy, ArtFire, West Village Provisions and for the Holiday Barn Treasures!! Here are two more:

Christmas Poinsettia

2-1/2 x 3-1/2" (ACEO)

acrylic on #140 watercolor paper

on exhibit

The holly one is currently on exhibit at Barn Treasures (this week!! Thursday, December 9th - Sunday, December 12th at 21 Andersen Drive, Boxford). The poinsettia is in my Etsy Shop.

I am working on a slightly larger poinsettia painting. Then I MIGHT be done with holiday paintings??!! Or maybe not - I seem to have a few more ideas floating around in my head! I just know I need to get back to the canvas.....

Is it Christmas Yet?

Just one more holiday ACEO for now:

"Nutcracker Profile" 2-1/2 x 3-1/2"
acrylic on #140 watercolor paper
SOLD

I wanted to do some holiday-themed ACEO for display at a local holiday open house in West Boxford Village. I enjoy doing ACEOs, but I tell you I am itching to get back to a canvas! And I want to play around with that Gessobord some more, too......not enough hours in the day!

More Ornaments......

Another holiday ACEO....

"Holiday Ornaments"

2-1/2 x 3-1/2"
acrylic on #140 watercolor paper
SOLD

Fine Art Friday

Okay it is actually Sunday now, but I did create this treasury on Friday to help celebrate the Fine Arts on Etsy. So much beautiful artwork, it is a lot of fun to create these treasuries!
(Click on the treasury to see it live)

More on that theme.....

Another holiday ACEO.

Reflections are interesting - and challenging - to paint!!

"Red and Green Ornaments"

2-1/2 x 3-1/2"

acrylic on #140 watercolor paper

SOLD

Thinking Christmas??

I'm not big on Christmas spirit, but this year I have the West Boxford Winter Festival and the Christmas Barn Treasures to get ready for, so I figured I'd better start thinking holiday themes.

Here is the first holiday-themed ACEO I put in my Etsy Store:

"Holly Bough"

2-1/2 x 3-1/2"

acrylic on #140 watercolor paper

SOLD

Total Art Soul

Love this site!

I've just discovered it - am still finding my way around.

Their stated purpose is "to create a community and to nuture and encourage artists."

To me the online art community is so important....can't wait to get a chance to get more active in this one!

And to top it off, today I was on their front page!!

(the top left hand corner!)

Barn Treasures

It is time for the first Barn Treasures Show!

It runs from November 11 -14th - 9 am until 6 pm each day. It is in a gorgeous barn full of antiques and art and unique finds. Check it out if you are local - the address is 21 Andersen Drive in Boxford, Massachusetts. Contact me if you need directions!

Indifference - SOLD

Here is the second one of my OSWOA based on the theme of relationships. I am still finding working this way challenging - you really have to think before you make a mark because there is no erasing or painting over! It is good for me to get out of my comfort zone once in a while....

Indifference
6 x 4"
acrylic on #140 watercolor paper
SOLD

Fruit of the Vine

Just finished this little painting:

"Fruit of the Vine"

5 x 5", acrylic on Gessoboard

My first time working on Gessoboard.

Very, very smooth. I think I'd like to try it for some tiny miniatures. It is taking some getting used to, but I think I like it!

I am not putting this one on Etsy yet - it will be in the "Barn Treasures" show from November 11 through November 14th here in Boxford, MA. Join us if you are local!

Fine Art Friday!

Yay for a new fine art promotion on Etsy - Fine Art Friday!

Lots of treasuries being made, lots of twittering going on - very exciting. I think the Fine Art category is painfully underpublicized on Etsy, so it is so great to see so many artists get together to make a little noise!

This forum thread explains it. And thanks to Jessica Torrant for all her hard work getting it going.

Here is the treasury that I contributed:

ArtSplash Thanks

It is almost ArtSplash Thursday!

But I have to mention a great post on the blog (thanks, Elizabeth!) about being thankful for the online artists community. I am very grateful to this community! While I have not yet sought out many local contacts in the art world (and I do hope to at some point!), I am so grateful for the suggestions and support and encouragement I get from my online friends. So a big "thank you" to you all!!

Here is the ArtSplash post

OSWOA - SOLD

What is an OSWOA?

OSWOA stands for Original Small Work Of Art.

OSWOAs always measure 4 x 6 inches and are thin enough to fit in a standard photo album (hence NOT on canvas). I guess the idea is to have them fit in an album to be collected like postcards - or fit in a standard frame like a photograph. They don't seem to have taken off as a movement like ACEOs, but I though it still would be fun to try some out!

I have some #140 cold-pressed watercolor paper I really wanted to work with. I am painting fairly realistic paintings of objects, based on the idea of "relationships". I am building up the paint on the objects through many thin layers, but around the objects and shadows I am leaving the watercolor paper bare. It is a challenging way to work with acrylics! No painting over to correct mistakes. But I am liking the effect.

Here is the first one:

"Pleased to Meet You"

Relationships Series

6 x 4"

acrylic on #140 watercolor paper

SOLD

Voting Begins

The voting for this month's ACEO Blog Challenge has begun!

Check it out here.

(So many great entries, so hard to decide....)

ACEO Challenge

The challenge word on the ACEO Challenge Blog this month is "mist".

I created two ACEO - both misty mornings. One was a local scene and an autumn landscape. This one was from an early morning in late summer in Maine:

"Morning Mist"

3-1/2 x 2-1/2"

acrylic on #140 watercolor paper

SOLD

Group of Gourds

Finally a gourd painting - that isn't an ACEO!

I was inspired by all the shapes and colors of all the wonderful gourds in a pile at a local farm. I feel like I could keep on doing gourd paintings - I am finding the gourds fascinating, but perhaps it is time to move on??!!

"Group of Gourds"

3x5"

acrylic on canvas

SOLD

Autumn Still Life

Finished another ACEO:

"Autumn Still Life "

2-1/2 x 3-1/2", acrylic on #140 watercolor paper
SOLD

I took this and a few more autumn-themed ACEOs over to the Art Cafe. Just found out there are going to be TWO shows coming up ("Barn Treasures" - more info to come!) plus the West Village Holiday Festival. Very exciting! And a lot of work to do.....

Gourds, Gourds, Gourds!

I've done a few more...they are currently listed in my shop. I'm just showing one here for now.

"Orange & White Gourd in Blue Bowl"

ACEO - 3-1/2 x 2-1/2",

acrylic on #140 watercolor paper

SOLD

I am currently finishing one more fall scene with a gourd and some leaves, and then a bunch of these will go over to the Art Cafe. Then I think I may be ready to move on from gourds......

One More

Another color study....I'm having fun with all these little gourds! I also have a number of colorful bowls - I'm enjoying seeing how the different colors work together:

"Green Gourd in Orange Bowl"

Autumn Color Study

2-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches, acrylic on #140 watercolor paper
SOLD

Art Splash Thursdays!

Woke up to a lovely blog mention for Art Splash:
http://tapestry316.blogspot.com/2010/10/art-splash-on-etsy.html
Thanks, Kathy!

Be sure to check out all the artists involved with Art Splash on Etsy - you will be sure to see some amazing work! Just search for "artsplash" and enjoy........

Another Color Study!

Wow, I have a bit of catching up to do here....

For today, here is another autumn color study:

"Orange Pumpkin in Green Bowl"

Autumn Color Study

2-1/2 x 3-1/2", acrylic on #140 watercolor paper

SOLD

This one has been SOLD, but I have other ACEOs listed here.

Color Studies

I love this time of year. I love the golden light, the crisp air and the beautiful colors. I love the orange pumpkins, the crisp red apples, the lovely green vegetables. I've decided to do some color studies, placing various fall subjects in containers of other colors. I really want to take a look at with how the colors play off each other. They will probably be mostly ACEOs. Here is one to start:

"White Pumpkin in Orange Bowl"Autumn Color Study
2-1/2 x 3-1/2", acrylic on #140 watercolor paper

SOLD

Does it make you think of fall??

Still Life Miniature Done! - SOLD

Finished:

Still Life with Rutabaga
3 x 4 inches
acrylic on canvas
SOLD

and listed!

I submitted to the about.com challenge, but it hasn't been posted yet. I'm so ready to move on to another painting! Lots of ideas floating around in my head......

I really enjoyed using the acrylic glazing medium again to build up the colors with thin layers. It makes the colors so much more rich - even though it is hard to tell in the photo. The painting is 3 x 4 inches which seems a really comfortable size now! It almost feels big....I wonder if I will try even smaller sizes?

WIP Still Life

Yep, I am still playing around with colors and design for this blog. Not totally pleased yet! But it was brought to my attention that the reversed text is difficult to read on some monitors, so I decided to change it again.

Here is my current WIP. It is for the painting forum at about.com's monthly challenge. September's challenge is a miniature still life using five items. Here is mine so far:

I got the rutabaga accidentally in my groceries one week. What an interesting vegetable - I decided I really needed to paint it! So it is one of my objects for my still life. I hope to finish this today and then probably move on to some more fall-themed ACEOs.

A Perfect Beach Day SOLD

Well, our trip to the beach last Sunday inspired a new ACEO! It was one of those perfect late summer days, a little bit cool, but still a beautiful day to enjoy before the craziness of back-to-school and fall.

A Perfect Beach Day

3-1/2 x 2-1/2", acrylic on #140 watercolor paper

SOLD

Approaching Autumn

More leaves on my walk.. .autumn is truly on its way.....

"Approaching Autumn"

2-1/2 x 3-1/ 3 ", acrylic on #140 watercolor paper

SOLD

Fallen Leaf - SOLD

I've been looking at the leaves that are already accumulating on my front walk. Can't believe it is almost autumn! I've been inspired to do some fall art. This is an ACEO painting title "Fallen". I love the abstract shapes that the shriveled leaf made. It is available here.

"Fallen"

2-1/2 x 3-1/2", acrylic on 140# watercolor paper
SOLD

Perfect Beach Day

Enjoyed a beautiful day at the beach over the holiday weekend. I brought my paints, but it was too windy, so I enjoyed just knitting and playing in the sand. Picked up lots of driftwood and shells to use for future still lifes. I think I will have to do a beach day ACEO soon, too.

Finished!

"Still Life with Grapes"

3 x 5", acrylic on canvas
SOLD

I finished this piece last night. I thought I was done before that, but I decided to go back in and work the dish a little more and to add the stem connecting the grapes on the left. You couldn't really see the stem in the set-up, but in the painting, it looked like the grape was floating. Painting grapes is fun.....it also makes me think of harvest time, so I may have to come up with another still life using grapes and a fall theme. Hmmmmmmmm........

Work in Progress

Here is a still life I am currently working on:

It is based on this month's painting challenge on about.com. The challenge is to paint a still life using two objects - a wine bottle and a piece of fruit. I kind of waited until the last minute for this one since we had been out of town, and when I went to start it, I realized - oh, horrors - no wine in the house! So I substituted another glass bottle. I will still submit it if I get it done in time and they can decide if I strayed too far from the intention. I am enjoying this one- I like the set up, too and may have to do a larger version including more of the bottle and background. I am also experimenting with something new for me - I am using acrylic glazing medium. I am slowly building up color by using thin layers of different colors. I am liking the effect - I think I will be experimenting with this medium even more.

I hope to finish this early next week.

A New Look!

I'm playing around with a new look and a new format for my blog.

I'm also hoping to post more - talk about works in progress, plans, what I am looking at and reading, etc. I plan to make blogging a more regular part of my schedule when the kids head back to school.

I'd love to know what you think!

Voting is Open!

The theme for this month's challenge on the ACEO Challenge Blog is "balloons". Here is my entry....it is titled "the Journey"

"The Journey"ACEO, 3-1/2" x 2-1/2", acrylic on 140# watercolor paper

SOLD

Check out all the entries for this month's challenge - it is hard to vote for just one!
http://theaceochallenge.blogspot.com/2010/08/aceo-challenge-3.html

Back in Town

Back in town again after two weeks in northern Maine.

Lots of hiking, a little relaxing, some reading and a little art were all part of my vacation. (Not to mention keeping up with three very active little boys!)

I was able to complete a few ACEOs while away. I am going to list them in my Etsy shop one at a time over the next two weeks. The first one I listed is this one, Black-Eyed Susan:

acrylic on 140# Canson Montval watercolor paper

SOLD

I was playing with a new kind of acrylic paint - it really wanted to act more like watercolor than acrylic! It took a while to come up with something I could be even slightly happy with. There were lots of Black Eyed Susans in the woods - so they became the subject of a few drawings, too.

This is the first one of the drawings that I have listed:

marker on 100# Strathmore vellum

purchase information

More to come.....

Road Trip - SOLD

ACEO - "Road Trip"2-1/2 x 3-1/2", acrylic on 140# watercolor paper
SOLD


I'm getting ready for another road trip....couldn't resist making an ACEO on that theme....

ACEO - Carousel - SOLD

Another ACEO for the Art Cafe. This is based on the carousel at the Enka Fair. It is part of my Carnival Series - I am hoping to do a bunch of cards (and maybe some paintings) with images from the old-style carnivals/fairs that my kids love so much. There is something a little old-fashioned and even a little creepy in some of the imagery on the old rides and signs. I am fascinated by the colors and shapes - even the tackiness and gaudiness - that I see at these fairs.

"Carousel"

Carnival Series

3-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

SOLD

This ACEO will be listed in my Etsy shop in late August if it doesn't sell at the cafe.

New ACEO

Here is another ACEO, part of my garden series. It is currently on display at West Village's Art Cafe. If it doesn't sell there, I will put it on my Etsy site next month. It is acrylic on 140# watercolor paper, standard ACEO size (2-1/2 x 3-1/2")

"Orange Lily"

Garden Series

2-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

SOLD

Off They Go (pt 2)

These little guys are also on their way:

They will be displayed at the 16th Annual Miniature Art Show at the West Wind Gallery in Casper, Wyoming through the 31st of August. Wish them well!!

Off they go.....

My Etsy shop is starting to look a little empty. Yesterday I took a bunch of framed and matted ACEOs to be exhibited at the Art Cafe at West Village Provisions. Today I am shipping off three paintings for a miniatures exhibition in Wyoming. Very exciting exposure in both places! Now I need to do a whole lot more painting to fill the empty spaces in my shop!

If you are interested in see all my ACEOs, including those sold and on exhibit, you can check out my ACEO gallery on Flickr. Any of the ACEOs marked "ON EXHIBIT" can be made into a custom Etsy listing once I check to see if they are still available.

Long Legs

 "Chair"

3-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

SOLD

This new ACEO is in response to the ACEO challenge on the ACEO Challenge blog created byPam of Always Artistic. The challenge is "Long Legs". I decided to steer away from using animals and tried to think of other things with legs. I was laying on the floor, playing with the kids, when I looked up at one of their little chairs and thought about how much longer the legs looked from that perspective. I'm kinda obsessed with chairs anyways, so I decided to paint the chair from that perspective for the challenge. I love the idea of painting chairs....chairs always seem to have a story to tell!

Anyways - check out all the wonderful challenge entries. And see my listing for the ACEO here:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/52011185/aceo-original-painting-school-chair

Looking Up

"Looking Up"

6 x 4", acrylic on canvas
SOLD

I just realized I hadn't posted this painting yet.

Occasionally I like to take part in the monthly challenges on about.com (Some of them here.) The challenge in June was to make a painting from an unexpected angle. That idea was right up my alley, however I couldn't decide what I wanted to paint. Then one drizzly afternoon, I stood waiting for my husband and sons under a huge gnarly ancient tree. As I stood near the trunk, I looked up at the sky and realized just how interesting the old tree was from that perspective. Hence, "Looking Up". I think I could paint this tree 1,000 times and come up with a very different painting each time......

More Mandalas

Here are a few more of the mandala drawings on ACEOs:





Yes, I've gone a little crazy with them!


It started with an idea in my head, a sharpie and my kids' markers. Someone in my ACEO group mentioned that they look like mandalas. After finding out more about mandalas, I have to agree. And they are definitely meditative to create!

So now I have some better waterproof markers (so I can varnish the cards when I am done - the kids' markers were washable...not so good with varnish!) and I can't stop making them! Actually they are an awesome summer project - I can take them with me when we travel, I can work on them in little spurts of time since the kids are all home and they are relaxing ;-)

I've created a new section in my Etsy shop for all my ACEO drawings:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ShirleyArt?section_id=7165660

Now I need to get back to more painting!

Catching Up

I have a lot of catching up to do!

It's been busy with the end of the school year, then the kids getting out of school, then we went away for a week...trying to get caught up with everything now!

I hope to post more tomorrow, but for now I will leave you with the first one of my pattern drawing art cards - a new obsession with me - a type of a mandala which is really enjoyable to create. This ACEO has been sold:

Cottage Window SOLD

Cottage Window, 4 x 4", acrylic on canvas
SOLD

This was a response to an About.com challenge photo. I really wanted to emphasize the angles of the window and its surroundings in my painting as well as the kind of run-down, deserted feeling of the cottage.

It is available on Etsy:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/49239220/cottage-window-small-format-original